


Transmission Incomplete

by Geoffryhawk



Category: Warframe
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 01:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22127518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geoffryhawk/pseuds/Geoffryhawk
Summary: An ominous whisper on an old frequency calls out to a curious Tenno, however, it may be more than it seems.
Relationships: Tenno/Tenno (Warframe)
Kudos: 1
Collections: The Voice on the Radio





	1. Chapter 1

_ “Safe in the crib...settle me to sleep…” _

Repeating, endless, aching, and whispered on forgotten frequencies. Ishmael listened in, and felt disturbed. It had been repeating for at least a year that he’d been listening. On occasion he tuned in to see if anything had changed. There was something about this signal that intrigued him, it seemed to repeat but it didn’t appear automated. Something sent out the signal again and again, the timing slightly off between repetition. He wondered at that, was there a human mind behind it?

_ “...dreamer in the sky...” _

Ishmael started as the signal suddenly changed. This new message began to loop as well, with the same variable timing. He began dialing in on the signal, trying in vain to get enough of it to locate. Nothing came of it, no new revelation. It was too short to pinpoint, faint enough to be his imagination in part. So much distortion, like a powerful signal squeezed through a bottleneck and filtered through the void. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Who was on the other end? Someone was sending that signal.

“Dreamer in the sky...safe in the crib? Is it tenno? Something that knows of the tenno?” Ishmael asked no one, his tone full of frustration. Something about this signal drove him crazy, it felt almost like it was mocking him. That was impossible, he could send nothing back on the frequency, it was a receive only connection. “Who are you then? Are you a sleeper?”

The tenno stood up from the mass of electronics, and stretched his legs. Some food would do him good. He turned from the array only to have his attention snatched again. The hair rose on the back of his neck.

_ “...look away...close your eyes...dream again…” _

The voice sounded closer, and Ishmael turned around almost expecting something to be standing behind him. Nothing. He rubbed his face, and for a brief moment he thought he saw smoke. A tense breath. He kept his hands over his eyes.

“Operator, I have prepared- Are you alright Ishmael?” Ishmael’s cephalon spoke so loud compared to the faint signal that the tenno nearly jumped out of his skin. “Apologies, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Finally Ishmael pulled his hands away from his face, nothing again. Of course there was nothing. He shook his head and turned off the radios, silence coming over the orbiter. That was enough of that. “It’s alright, Lux, I think I’ve just been listening too intently to old broadcasts. They can be rather eerie, my mind decided to play a trick on me,” he said, comforted by the Cephalon’s presence.

“Your dinner is plated, a break may do you some good,” Lux replied.

“Yes, of course, you’re right,” Ishmael retired to his personal quarters to eat, and distract himself from the strange broadcasts. He needed to tell someone about them, it was going to eat him up if he was alone in this knowledge.

The Maxim leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and nodding. “And you’re sure you hear this signal correctly?” he asked, observing the Limbo Prime before him.

“Positive, it’s repeated the same message for a year and then suddenly changed as I was listening in; then it changed again and I  _ felt  _ something behind me. It was louder and I could I think smell or see smoke,” Ishmael said hastily, moving his hands emphatically. “Maxie, you of all people should know I don’t just hear things!”

“Calm down, I know, I’m sorry to even doubt,” Max replied and leaned back in. “What do you think the signal is?”

“Can’t say for sure, I feel like it’s tenno, but it’s…”

“It’s?”

“Empty, maybe that's not the word. Aching I’d call it. As I listened to the message it changed, like something knew I was listening and was speaking to me,” Ishmael explained, a shudder went through him. “Something intelligent is on the other side.”

Maxim frowned behind his warframe, hearing Ishmael so shaken, it was difficult to be objective. This voice could just be a nightmare, yet.

“I may be able to spare someone to look into it, I can’t guarantee anything, Ishmael,” his tone became tender and he reached his arm across to take Ishmael’s hand. “Perhaps it’s wise you avoid it for now.”

The other Tenno nodded absentmindedly, he held Maxim’s hand in return. “Right, yes, of course, of course.”

“I’m serious, Ishmael, if this is dangerous leave it to me,” Max said more firmly.

Ishmael looked at him, for a long moment. Maxie knew what he was like, knew that he would go back to listen again. He’d been caught and he finally averted his gaze. “You know me too well,” he murmured feeling rather scolded. “You really will look into it?”

“Yes, you have my word.”

“Good, good, I don’t want to know what would happen if someone else started listening in.”

They went quiet, and Ishmael stood up from his chair and left his warframe, he leaned against the desk. Maxim stood and left his own Limbo Limina, taking up a position next to Ishmael.

“Why has this affected you so?” Max asked, wrapping his arm around Ishmael’s waist. “It is just a signal on a radio it can’t hurt you.”

“That’s just it, it didn’t feel like one. It felt like something was coming in, like it was emerging from the radio, a presence;” Ishmael said, his voice low, almost a whisper. “The more you listened, the closer it got.”

Max held Ishmael closer. “All the more reason you shouldn’t listen again,” he spoke gently. “Why don’t you stay here with me for a few days?”

Ishmael went a bit rigid. “What a time to bring that up again!” he snapped. Harsher than he intended it to be.

The Maxim started at the tone. He released Ishmael and shook his head. “I didn’t mean anything like that,” he said and looked away.

The other tenno went red and looked away. “Sorry, sorry; that was garish of me,” Ishmael brushed hair out of his face. “I think...I think it’s a good idea.” He turned to Max and wrapped arms around him. “Really, I’m sorry Maxie.”

Max returned the embrace. “Why don’t we have some coffee? I’ve got your favorite roast,” he offered and Ishmael nodded against his shoulder.

The Maxim glanced at the radio buzzing with Hexis chatter, wondering at the idea of something coming out of a signal.


	2. An Unwelcome Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tuning into Ishmael's little whisper gives them more than they bargained for.

Maxim held open the door to his private quarters, ushering the pink clad Ishmael in. He closed the door behind them and watched the other Tenno getting comfortable. And Ishmael certainly made himself comfortable, prostrating himself upon Maxim’s bed with a content little sigh.

“I forgot how decadent your little slice of Hexis was! Oh the comforter! Down isn’t it? Condroc down how wondrous a thing!” He extolled, making a mess of the nicely made bedding. “I must simply get something like this for my orbiter!”

“Decadent? It’s hardly more than standard, well there are a few creature comforts I admit,” Maxim replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “Glad you like it all the same.”

“Three days,” Ishmael said firmly. “Three days and then I’m leaving, no funny business!”

“Three days, Izzy really? Fine, fine I hardly want to argue with you,” Max sat himself at the edge of the bed and pat the other tenno on his knee. “Tell me of adventures beyond this rogue signale.”

Ishmael righted himself and scooched over to sit next to Max, leaning his head against his shoulder. “Well if I’m being honest I haven’t done much of anything interesting! Gosh I was hoping to find a decent adventure in my radio...oh well there was the time I found a signal from a baby rhino coming from the derelict of all places and so I found an Iron Wake General to help me boost the signal so we could locate the poor dear and then we went to the Derelict, got into a tussle with a juggernaut and rescued the freshly woke Tenno from that horrible place.” He took a deep breath. “His name is George isn’t that quaint? I left him with Steel Meridian, and Grant- oh he’s the General I went with- who said he’d get him equipped!”

Maxim nodded along with all that, seeming to follow remarkably well considering the speed of the story. He smiled a bit at the end.

“George, hm I would have liked to meet him;” he offered. “Perhaps some day I will, Steel Meridian is indifferent to Hexis.” 

“Oh perhaps you will, George seemed like a nice young man. I’m sure he’ll do quite well in the syndicate life!” Ishmael replied and snuggled in closer to Maxim. “But what of you Maxie, how goes management?”

“It...goes. If I’m honest your ghost is the most interesting thing to fall onto my desk in some time,” Maxim said.

“Ghost! The nerve, it is an old war signal, piggybacking on more mundane broadcasts; hardly a ghost!”

“Right, sorry, I just think a ghost sounds more romantic than a rogue signal threatening my beloved,” Maxim wrapped his arm around Ishmael and rested his head against his.

“Romant...oh you are too much, how garish,” Ishmael said between a giggle fit. “What should we call this ghost then?”

“Well Ghost of Hexis is taken...and that doesn’t work considering, ah Ghost in the Machine? Ghost in the Signal? Signal Specter?” Maxim mulled over it for a while.

“Have you been thinking about this the whole time?”

“No, well, maybe;” Max released Ishmael and stood. “Perhaps I have a little bit.”

Ishmael could hardly contain his cackle as he jumped up and grabbed Maxim from behind. “The Hexis Maxim, enchanted by a Ghost! How adorable, oh you’re precious~! Would you like to hear the broadcast?”

Maxim went still and tilted his head, glancing at the radio on the table across the room. “You think you could tune into it on that?” he asked pointing. “Really we shouldn’t it frightened you and we’ve someone looking into it…”

“Shouldn’t, but you want to! And I can tune into anything on anything, it’s my special talent,” Ishmael teased. “You want to hear what was so terrifying...what sent shivers down my spine!” 

“Perhaps you’re right,” Maxim replied. “My curiosity is quite piqued.”

“Alright, you’ve convinced me to face my fears once more! I shall find this signal, and we can listen together...like scary stories oh if only we had a campfire,” Ishmael cooed, and made his way over to the consumer grade listening equipment. “Have you ever had a camp out on the Plains?” Ishmael toyed with the radio while he talked. “I have, the eidolon screams surely rattle you to your bones!”

Maxim watched, fascinated by the way Ishmael toyed with the thing, and then a crackle of life.

_ “Secrets of the past...fruiting bodies of memory…” _

Maxim raised a brow, that voice, put a heavy pit in his stomach. He rested a hand on Ishmael’s shoulder, leaning in. “Is this what it was saying to you?” he asked.

“No...this is new, I don’t know why it changes. Something is behind it, a person I think,” Ishmael replied.

_ “...blood on hands...washed with truth…” _

“I’ve no idea what the whispers refer to, they seem almost personalized? At least the other ones resonated deeply with me,” Ishmael explained and Maxim nodded. The Maxim’s eyes were drawn to the lights which started to flicker. That pit in his stomach was evolving into a full blown chill.

“This doesn’t seem like an average radio signal...it’s causing power fluctuations, it must be an incredibly powerful transmission,” Maxim said, as the words repeated over and over.

“Oh yes, far as I can tell this signal is in fact being crushed in order to get picked up by radios. It’s also distorted from Void interference. Whatever this signal is it’s sending a lot of information despite the short broadcast,” Ishmael agreed.

_ “...and back to the shadows...where one began…” _

Maxim furrowed his brow, smelling smoke, and feeling something like a presence. He spun around and snatched at something. Ishmael turned at the sudden move, and came face to face with a dagger; it had a wavy edge and wicked hook at the tip. He stared frozen for a long moment, watching Maxim struggle with the warframe’s wrist. It was an Ash, though the image of it was hazy, like looking through static. Ishmael could hear whispers from it, all the repeated messages swirling around. It was hypnotizing. A tense moment and Maxim broke his spell with an order.

“Shut the radio off!”

Ishmael tumbled over himself to hit the power, as the receiver turned off the warframe disappeared like it never was. Maxim stumbled forward, suddenly unsupported. He caught himself and quickly examined the room. The lights had gone back to normal, and that smoke had vanished with the Ash.They both stared at each other in silence for a few beats.

“What was that?” Ishmael asked in a whisper.

“Ash warframe, with a very old dagger, I haven’t seen one of them in a long time,” Maxim replied, quickly wrapping Ishmael up. “Are you alright?”

“Am I alright?! You were wrestling with a full grown Warframe with your bare hands, something was trying to kill us!” Ishmael exclaimed and looked around. “And it came...out of a signal!” He turned and flung his arms back around Maxim. “How Garish! How terrifying, something came out of the radio! And...wait how did you know it was there?”

“Old reflexes, I didn’t...I wasn’t always a Limbo user, nor was I always on the path for truth,” Maxim explained vaguely. “I’d felt something watching, and then the smoke, I just reacted.”

Ishmael blinked at that. “You know, I didn’t meet you till you were on the Hexis payroll, I guess I never thought to ask what you might have done before,” he murmured. “I just saw a dashing Limbo and felt my heart flutter, especially when you saved me from that Nox that I rather...ahem recklessly brought into the rift with me.”

“Well, it’s history, and I feel like perhaps that thing we encountered is a bit above my research team. One moment I’m going to make sure they don’t accidentally summon it,” Maxim said and released Ishmael, walking over to the com’s on the wall.  
  
“This is Maxim Maxim, I need you to cancel the research assignment into that signal, no, I’ll be working with other Synods to find a proper team for it. Just make sure no one listens to it, I have it on good authority nothing good will come of it. And if you can pull the feed from my quarters, thank you,” he returned to Ishmael and rested a hand on his shoulder.

“I do hope no one else ended up skewered thanks to that horrific transmission…” Ishmael said, standing and glancing back at the radio. “I’m lucky I wasn’t a victim the first time.”

“Yes, well I’m glad you were smart enough to bring it to me, I need to find a real team for this. I’ll need some bigger guns than I have at my disposal.”

“Bigger guns?”

“Yes, I’m rather small time, the Synod is mostly initiates and low ranks, not exactly the kinds of members who could tackle a dangerous signal bent on assassinating whoever listens to it.” Maxim replied, motioning for Ishmael to come with him. He sat back on the bed and sighed. “Come here, I’m well exhausted from that encounter.”

Ishmael stepped over and fell down next to Maxim. “ _ You’re _ exhausted! How ever do you think I feel?” He snuggled up close to Max, and buried his face in his shoulder. “I’ve nearly died to that thing twice!” He practically cooed, when Max wrapped him up and held him tight.

“Right, yes, I suppose that’s true...sorry, didn’t mean to belittle your experience,” Max replied and planted a kiss to Ishmael’s temple. “I am...grateful we experienced  _ that  _ together.”

“Goodness, you saved my life!” Ishmael tilted his head up and pulled Maxim down for a proper kiss. He broke and let out a nervous giggle. “I almost died, I’ve never been that close to certain death before...sure the old frame has seen his share of dings and nicks but I’ve never stared it right in the face.” 

Maxim tilted his head and pulled Ishmael in tighter. “Easy to do in a metal suit surely,” he said gently, petting Ishmael’s hair. “It’s over now, and we never have to do that again. Why don’t you get ready for bed? I’ll do the same and we can put this nightmare behind us for now.”

Ishmael nodded and stood up, disentangling himself from Maxim. “Yes, and I’m going to have a shower, smell like fear.” He disappeared behind a door and Max sighed.

“Maybe Suda has someone who could help. I do still have a favor from one of them…” Maxim murmured. He would have to call that favor in.


End file.
